Winter of the Ice Wizard - Mary Pope Osborne [9]
“After that the Ice Wizard was never the same,” said the blue Norn. “When his sister left, he grew cold and mean-spirited. ’Twas as if his sister took his heart with her when she flew away.”
“That is sad,” said Annie. “How will the Ice Wizard’s story end?”
“You—not we—will determine the threads we weave next,” said the brown Norn.
“We will?” said Annie.
“Yes,” said the gray Norn. “Our powers are fading. Our plans no longer work the way we expect them to. The Ice Wizard has no wisdom! The Frost Giant has no sight! You must go now and finish the story.”
The three sisters smiled at their visitors. Their skinny fingers fluttered over their weaving like butterflies over flowers.
Jack couldn’t help smiling back at them. But then he thought about Merlin and Morgan. He thought about all the dangers waiting outside. “One last question,” he said. “What’s the story of the two white wolves?”
“Oh, the wolves!” said the blue Norn. “Do not fear the wolves! A life without wolves would be a boring life indeed!” Her two sisters smiled in agreement. For the moment, their smiles made Jack feel unafraid of the white wolves—and the Ice Wizard and the Frost Giant, too.
“Good-bye! Good-bye! Good-bye!” said the three sisters.
Jack and the others waved good-bye. Then they slipped out of the House of the Norns and into the icy night.
Standing in the cold, Jack felt afraid again. There were big paw prints in the moonlit snow all around the house.
“The wolves were here,” said Kathleen.
“Perhaps we should go back inside,” said Teddy.
“No,” said Kathleen. “We must walk with Jack and Annie back to the sleigh and send them on their journey to the Hollow Hill.”
“Yes, of course,” said Teddy, nodding.
As they all headed cautiously toward the rocks, Jack glanced back at the House of the Norns. He wished they could return to its cozy warmth.
Kathleen put her hand on his shoulder. “Come,” she said. “You must hurry.”
Jack trudged with the others through the passage in the rocks. When they got to the other side, there was no sign of the two white wolves. The silver sleigh was waiting in the moonlight. Jack and Annie climbed inside it.
“Can’t you come with us?” Jack asked Teddy and Kathleen. “Remember you said if we all work together, we can do anything?”
“Aye,” said Teddy. “But what the Ice Wizard said is true. Only mortals can undo a bargain with the Fates.”
“Do not fear,” said Kathleen. “We will be with you in spirit. And we will meet you back at the wizard’s palace at dawn.”
“How will you get there?” asked Annie.
“I have a few rhymes I can try,” said Teddy, smiling.
“And I have a bit of selkie magic,” said Kathleen.
“And we have our wind-string!” said Annie.
“Hasten, then, to the Hollow Hill,” said Kathleen.
“And remember what the Norns told you,” said Teddy. “Never look at the Frost Giant.”
“I know,” said Jack. He pulled out the wind-string. He took off his gloves and untied a knot. A breeze began to blow.
Jack untied a second knot. The breeze grew stronger, the sail unfurled, and the runners slid forward.
Jack untied a third knot. The wind blew hard. The white sail snapped, and the sleigh took off through the night.
“Stand fast!” Teddy called after them.
Jack and Annie waved good-bye to Teddy and Kathleen as the sleigh slid swiftly over the sea ice. Soon the sleigh bumped onto the snow-covered plain and veered off sharply to the right.
“No, toward the North Star!” Jack called to Annie.
Annie turned the rudder, steering the sleigh back on course. They sailed toward the bright star in the distance.
As the silver runners swished across the windswept snow, Jack braced himself against the cold. He kept a lookout for the white wolves, but he didn’t see any sign of them as the sleigh sped across the moonlit plain.
Soon he could see a row of snow-covered hills in the distance. “Look!” he said. “There it is!” He pointed to one of the hills—the only one without a peak.
“Tie her down!” Annie shouted.